What is the author's tone in Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! by Richard Feynman?

"Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!" is extremely informal, even conversational, in tone. Most of it sounds like the words of a man telling us stories over a beer (indeed, it is very likely that large portions of this narrative actually did begin their life as the words of a man telling his friend stories over a beer).

Feynman nearly always speaks in language that is familiar and accessible. He rarely uses technical jargon, or even words that are not part of the average American adult's spoken vocabulary, and when he does, he usually gives a very simple, straightforward explanation to the word.

Throughout most of the book, Feynman remains funny, upbeat, and lighthearted—never taking himself too seriously, even when he is trying to make a point about the value of genuine curiosity, or how he feels science should be taught. Most of the incidents recorded in his book involve Dr. Feynman playing a practical joke, or setting out on an adventure, or having something strange and bizarre happen to him. Even when there is a moral to the story, it is rarely a particularly serious story.

The only glaring exceptions to this rule are found in the book's longest chapter "Los Alamos from Below" where Feynman deals with topics such as the death of his first wife from tuberculosis, and the ramifications of the development of the atomic bomb.